Deng Yanjia, Murong Chenglin, Zhao Haoxiang
Recently, Ukraine's drone attack in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached a new climax, with hundreds of Ukrainian drones running 800 kilometers in an attempt to hit five Russian oil refineries. If these energy facilities are damaged during the attack, the supply of refined oil products will be significantly reduced, which will have an immeasurable impact on the Russian economy. Russia's previous use of drones to strike high-value targets such as armored vehicles and helicopters in Ukraine is being replicated by Ukraine. How to solve the threat posed by UAVs is becoming an urgent problem in modern warfare.
An oil refinery in Russia was attacked by a suicide attack by a Ukrainian drone
The SMASH series is eye-catching
From 2023 to the present, the 16th Air Assault Brigade of the British Army began to receive and equip the SMASH X4 intelligent sighting system, developed by the Israeli company SmartShooter. With the help of these devices, they will increase the overall accuracy and effectiveness of existing automatic rifles. At the same time, the main task of these new equipment in the new scenario will be to ensure the strike against small UAVs.
A soldier of the 16th Assault Brigade is using an L4A85 rifle equipped with the SMASH X3 intelligent sighting system to aim at a small drone
SmartShooter is a well-known innovator in the field of fire control systems, and its battle-proven SMASH fire control system presented at the MILIPOL exhibition in Paris is a cutting-edge weapon fire control system (FCS). It is equipped with on-board calculations that enable complex targeting solutions. Once the target is identified independently or guided by a detection system, SMASH is able to lock onto the target and track its movement to shoot synchronously for the purpose of a fast and accurate hit.
In 2018, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began to install the SMASH series of smart sights as the first users of the smart sights developed by SmartShooter. In 2020, the American special forces that appeared in Syria also used a smart sight of the same type - SMASH 2000.
An Israeli soldier is armed with a "Tavor" rifle equipped with a SMASH 2000 smart scope.
The SMASH family of smart scopes themselves is designed to be independent of rifles, which have also been installed on a variety of rifles, including the American M4/M16 (or its derivatives), the Israeli "Tavor" in the past. The SmartShooter company has also introduced a remote-controlled gun mount for use with rifles equipped with SMASH smart scopes. This combination can be placed on the ground or mounted on a vehicle.
A U.S. soldier uses a SMASH 2000 in Syria to aim and shoot at a box suspended under a drone
Stand out from the crowd – the smart X4 has significant advantages
From 2022 to 2023, the British army has successively purchased 225 SMASH X4 smart sights with a total value of 4.6 million pounds (about 42 million yuan), and a single sight costs about 20,000 pounds. The UK-procured SMASH X4 is an electronic sight for aiding light weapons fire, the purpose of which is to improve the accuracy of fire in any combat scenario. In addition to the scope itself, the SMASH X4 has a remote control button mounted on a firearm handguard to operate the scope's scope. The SMASH X4 has a length of more than 200 mm, a width of 90-100 mm (the width of the sight varies slightly depending on the configuration), and a height of 83 mm.
SMASH X4 Intelligent Aiming System
The SMASH X4 differs from its earlier models, such as the SMASH 2000/3000, in that it is equipped with a 4x magnification main sight, while none of the latter are equipped with a magnification scope. The SMASH X4 allows the fighter to carry out precision strikes on ground targets in dark scenarios at a range of 400m, and can also guarantee precision strikes against air targets at a range of 250m.
The scope is powered by a built-in lithium-ion battery, which can work for 72 hours on a single charge or for 3,600 shots with the calculation tools inside the scope.
A SMASH X4 sight similar to an AR rifle. The device itself and the remote control are clearly visible
SmartShooter developed the SMASH series of scopes to improve the accuracy of shooters, especially those who are extremely physically tired or under great mental stress. However, during subsequent tests and use, users found that the smart sights have the potential to be used as anti-drone tools. In particular, the SMASH X4 is equipped with a 4X scope, which can easily spot small drones with irregular tracks, which has an even greater advantage. At the same time, the SMASH X4 smart sight can also help shooters hit ground targets more accurately. The official account of the British 16th Air Assault Brigade said on social platforms: "Our medics and communicators do not have the same high shooting skills as the infantry due to their special duties, but with the SMASH X4 smart sight, unprecedented shooting accuracy has been obtained." ”
The field of view of the SMASH X4 Smart Scope, with the left box indicating the target and the right reticle as the reference aiming point
The prospects are bright - drone countermeasures are promising
In the modern battlefield, UAVs have been widely used. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, quadcopter civilian drones can throw small ammunition at targets, while drones equipped with "first-person main view (FPV)" can directly attack targets with impact after installing warheads, which have destroyed many tanks, helicopters and armored vehicles on the battlefield, and are even used to attack fortifications or individual targets. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel has used Hermes drones to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance missions, providing intelligence support by helping the Israeli army understand the activities and deployments of Palestinian militants. The threat posed by UAVs on the battlefield has become quite clear, and many countries, including Israel and the United States, have begun to pay attention to this and are promoting and accelerating the development of various anti-UAV weapons and equipment.
The SMASH series developed by the Israeli company SmartShooter has good performance, which not only improves the shooting accuracy of individual soldiers, but also greatly improves the ability of ground forces to counter UAVs. The British military tested the sights of the SmartShooter as a means of controlling anti-aircraft fire, and now these equipment are being introduced into combat units, and such measures of the British Army deserve to be emulated by foreign armies. However, solving the threat posed by UAVs requires more than just smart sights like the SMASH series. Britain's 16th Air Assault Brigade said equipping the sight with such scopes is only part of a broader anti-drone program, in addition to the application of "camouflage and dispersal" tactics, which are "key to making it harder for drones to spot troops and equipment".
Anti-drone equipment shows broad development prospects and research value. The wide application of smart sights such as the SMASH series not only sets a good development direction for the global military, but also promotes and accelerates the development of various anti-UAV weapons and equipment. As weapons and equipment continue to evolve, strategic approaches should be pursued in tandem to ensure that the military can maintain combat effectiveness and operational superiority in the face of the increasingly serious UAV threat posture.